Social networking has evolved over the past several months from primarily internet-based status updates and URL sharing into a more mobile, check-in based service where users are now sharing more about themselves and their lives than ever before. Services such as Foursquare, Gowalla, and others are now allowing users to share where they are and what they are doing in real-time with their friends and the rest of the world.

I’m willing to bet that you have never heard of SCVNGR, and I myself did not learn of this service until just this morning when their mobile app was released onto the Android community.

SCVNGR hopes to take the check-in evolution and kick it up a notch. In addition to including a standard check-in service, the folks over at SCVNGR have attempted to develope a world-wide scavenger hunt with fun challenges awaiting you wherever you happen to go.

Imagine going into your favorite burrito shop, firing up the SCVNGR app to check-in, and being offered the challenge of turning the tin-foil wrapper into an origami sculpture for four bonus points. Or going to a local zoo and being challenged to answer some crazy riddle to receive a free gorilla suit? Okay, so that last one was a little bit off the wall and totally made up, but that’s the beauty of SCVNGR. All the challenges are either user-created/inspired, or created by the businesses themselves.

SCVNGR offers a refreshing and novel take on the traditional check-in services. With the added ability to complete fun little challenges at all of your favorite locations, I think SCVNGR has the ability to really take off, and is a fun new way to interact with your environment.

Over 550 business are currently paying customers of SCVNGR including museums, universities, and businesses, who use it for things like tours, orientations, and team-building exercises.

Not into scavenger hunts? SCVNGR has more traditional check-ins, as well as the ability to snap and post pictures, and write a quick little blurb about the location. There really is something for everyone. That being said, SCVNGR will depend on users like you to take this service and add fun new challenges, so go and check it out today.

SCVNGR can be found for free on the Android Market. Some users are reporting that SCVNGR is not available on Android 1.6 or below, so for now I will say it’s only available on Android 2.0+.

Most Tweeted This Week

am i the only one who thinks this app looks like a blasty!!!! haha get a few good friends and a few android phones and have a night on the town! once i get the EVO u better believ im picking this thing up

Picked this up a few days ago and it is amazing. I definitely agree with those saying that it needs more users. How can anyone stick with Foursquare when this is clearly more entertaining and worth the time?

Hmm, I wouldn’t have thought of using this for sheer fun, neat! It’s like the fun version of a My-911 feature, but that’s more for notifying family of where you are. I think they’re both innovative, it’s great to see new ideas coming up all the time